Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington was born on Dec. 28, 1954, in Mt. Vernon, NY, a predominantly African-American suburb just north of Manhattan. His father was a preacher at the Pentecostal Church of God in Christ and also worked for the NY's Water Department, while his mother - a Harlem-bred former gospel singer - owned and operated a local beauty parlor. Washington began working odd jobs from the time he was a student at Grimes Elementary School; also becoming active in the Boys & Girls Club, which he credited for keeping him out of trouble. The club's mentors were especially helpful after his parents' divorce, when Washington lost contact with his father and the restless teen increasingly found himself h... Continue Bio >>